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Trip from Bowling Green, KY to Tompkinsville, KY

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 13m

Distance

62.8 mi

101 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 8m ★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city and county seat of Warren, Kentucky, United States

Bowling Green, KY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Tompkinsville, KY, KY

Tompkinsville, KY

Kelly

Trip Overview

The drive from Bowling Green, KY to Tompkinsville, KY covers 62.8 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Interstate Highway 65, Cumberland Parkway, KY 163 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17 miles on Interstate Highway 65. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.82 one way before food or hotel costs.

About the Cities

Starting in Bowling Green, KY

Full guide →

Bowling Green is the third-largest city in Kentucky, with nearly 60,000 residents. Bowling Green is the hub of activity in the Caves and Lakes region.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 13m. Total distance: 62.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (68%). Straightforward navigation.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 13m highway drive covering 62.8 miles, with most of the trip on Interstate Highway 65 and Cumberland Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 17 miles on Interstate Highway 65.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Interstate Highway 65 is the longest continuous segment at about 17 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Interstate Highway 65 and Cumberland Parkway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Chestnut Street.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 13m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 20.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | Chestnut Street

Turn left onto Chestnut Street

Navigation decision point

4
3.5 mi into trip | ~6m in

Take the ramp

Navigation decision point

5
20.8 mi into trip | ~25m in

Take the exit toward Somerset, Glasgow

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Somerset, Glasgow
6
34.6 mi into trip | ~40m in

Take the exit toward KY 90: Glasgow, Burkesville

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 14 Toward KY 90: Glasgow, Burkesville
4
62.8 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in | KY 63 / West 4th Street

Turn right onto KY 63 / West 4th Street

Navigation decision point

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Bowling Green, KY and Tompkinsville, KY, road signs point toward Somerset, Glasgow and Burkesville.

Somerset

20.8 mi in | ~25m

Glasgow

20.8 mi in | ~25m

Burkesville

34.6 mi in | ~40m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Interstate Highway 65 17 mi 18m
Cumberland Parkway 13.3 mi 14m
KY 163 12.5 mi 14m
Burkesville Road 10.7 mi 12m
Summer Shade Road 4.7 mi 5m
Fairview Avenue 1.7 mi 2m
Cemetery Road 1.2 mi 1m
Chestnut Street 0.4 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Interstate Highway 65 — 17 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bowling Green, KY and Tompkinsville, KY.

1

Start on this road

321 ft · 28 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Chestnut Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Chestnut Street
3

Turn right onto KY 234

0.1 mi · 12 sec · East 7th Avenue
4

Continue on KY 234

1.7 mi · 2 min · Fairview Avenue
5

Continue on KY 234

1.2 mi · 1 min · Cemetery Road
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec
7

Merge onto I 65

17 mi · 18 min · Interstate Highway 65
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward Somerset, Glasgow
9

Merge onto Cumberland Parkway

13 mi · 14 min · Cumberland Parkway
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 14 Toward KY 90: Glasgow, Burkesville
11

Merge onto KY 90

11 mi · 12 min · Burkesville Road
12

Continue on KY 90

4.7 mi · 5 min · Summer Shade Road
13

Turn right onto KY 163

13 mi · 14 min · KY 163
14

Turn right onto KY 63

61 ft · 1 sec · West 4th Street
15

Arrive at destination

KY 63

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 31.4 mi from Bowling Green, KY · 37m into the drive

city in Barren County, Kentucky, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Glasgow, KY

31 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Plano, KY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Glasgow, KY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.4 miles from Bowling Green, KY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Tompkinsville, KY

The final approach into Tompkinsville, KY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.82 one way

$19.64 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.78 $21.56
premium $4.89 $12.09 $24.17
diesel $5.61 $13.87 $27.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.8 0 $6.59 $3.01
Efficient EV 15.7 0 $5.49 $2.51
EV Truck/SUV 25.1 0 $8.79 $4.02

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Bowling Green, KY

Morning in Bowling Green on Saturday

Local time

11:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tompkinsville, KY

Morning in Tompkinsville on Saturday

Local time

11:46 AM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

75°F

Glasgow, KY

31 mi in

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

22 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 13m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Bowling Green, KY to Tompkinsville, KY covers 62.8 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Interstate Highway 65, Cumberland Parkway, KY 163. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 31.4 miles from Bowling Green, KY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.82 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

This is a straightforward 1h 13m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.5 miles: Navigation decision point; at 20.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Bowling Green, KY and Tompkinsville, KY, road signs point toward Somerset, Glasgow and Burkesville.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Tompkinsville, KY to Bowling Green, KY

Plan the drive back the other way.

63 mi 1h 14m

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